Magnetic ball activator



Nov. 13, 1951 w. VON STOESER MAGNETIC BALL ACTIVATOR Filed Nov. 6, 1948 41/ v 152/272 for: wife? floms'zoeser Patented Nov. 13, 1951 MAGNETIC BALL ACTIVATOR Walter Von Stoeser, Chicago, 111., assignor to- Raymond T. Moloney Application November 6, 1948, Serial No. 58,680

3 Claims.

This invention pertains to ball rolling games and more particularly to so-called bumpers and ball targets for placement on a ball rolling board.

A particular object of the invention is the provision of a magnetic actuator or deflector which is activated by a ball approaching the device within a certain proximity, whereby the ball is suddenly accelerated with more or less violent change in direction and speed and thereby sent upon a new course to stimulate the excitement and interest in the play.

Magnetic devices for acting upon the metal balls used in such games are known in the art in various forms, and devices are also well-known in the art for reprojecting a ball striking such device or lodging in some receptacle associated therewith.

One of the distinguishing characteristics of the present improvement resides in a form of proximity control and activation by which the ball, upon approaching a certain spot or area,

closes a circuit to energize the magnetic device,

and the resulting magnetic field is situated close enough to such spot or area to act upon the ball with one or several possible results, namely that the ball will be speeded up on its original course, or speeded up upon an altered course, or repeatedly attracted back into the control area in conjunction with rebound bumpers nearby in a variety of fast and surprising deflections and unpredictable patterns.

An exemplary object is the provision of a proximity ball activator including a magnetic pole piece having a pole face substantially fiush with the ball rolling surface of the game board, an exciting or magnetizing winding for the pole piece, and a switch on the board situated in proximity to the pole piece such that if it be actuated by a ball rolling or played into the area occupied or covered by the switch or at least the ballanderings of the ball, particularly where ball.

rebound bumpers or obstacles are also situated strategically in the immediate area.

'Another object is the provision of a scoring.

2 element, such as a switch, in the central region of the polar field where it can be struck by a deflected ball as well as a ball entering the area but without having engaged any of the proximity switches.

Yet another object is the provision of a simple solenoid and pole piece structure for use in a proximity ball activator of the class described.

Additional objects, advantages, and aspects of novelty and utility in the improvement pertain to details of the construction and operation of the preferred embodiment hereinafter described in view of the annexed drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective view of a ball rolling game boardhaving situated thereon an illustrative set of the proximity bumper means;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional detail, to enlarged scale, taken through the game board and one of the proximity bumpers thereon;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of a complete proximity bumper or activator and its set of switches;

. Fig. 4; is a verticalsectional fragmentary detail of one oftheproximity switches;

Fig. 5 is an illustrative circuit diagram;

Referring to Fig. l, a magnetically attractable ball is launched upon the upper regions of the ball playing field or board It), which is usually somewhat inclined, a conventional spring plunger or shooter ll being used for this purpose in the well-known manner. Various objectives, bumpers, and scoring devices [2 and I3 are situated on the board to be struck either at random or by skillful direction or playing of the ball.

Should the ball B directly strike or glance over one of the proximity control switch wafers i l in any direction of travel, it would be violently deflected or accelerated into a magnetic field above the score switch button i5 with a chance of striking one of the rubber rebound bands l6, possibly for passage back onto the second proximity switch wafer. I! in the direction of the arrows and ball B shown in dotted lines.

As viewed in Fig. 2, a satisfactory commercial form of the proximity activator includes a ferromagnetic core 18 having an upper neck portion i9 snugly fitted into a hole in the board It] with its upper pole face 20 fiush with the upper surface of the board so that a ball will roll easily thereover.

'Beneath the board It], the core is is provided with a solenoid winding 2| of pancake or annulus form engaged on-the core by insulation headers 22 forced onto the core.

gun- 21 In a central bore in the core is the stem 23 of a score control plunger having a wafer ballcontacting head 24 which preferably fits down into a recess 25 in the pole face upon depression by a ball, said plunger being normally raised by the normal spring bias of a switch blade 26, mounted, with its companion blade 21 and associated insulation stack. by means of bracket 28 on the magnetic unit.

A form of proximity switch structure is illustrated in Fig. 4, wherein a plunger 30 is slidably fitted into the bore of a plastic shell 3!, which in turn is snugly fitted into a hole in thegame board- ID. A wafer head 32 surmounts theplunger, and

this assembly is maintained in a normally raised condition by the effort of a sensitive spring 33 beneath said head in recess 3Jlv of the shell..

The lower extremity of the plunger 3 rests on switch spring blade 35, which will close with its companion blade 36 if the ball rests on or even slightly bears against the wafer head 32-, the tensions of spring parts 33 and 35- being carefully selected to this end.- i

In the arrangement of' l ig. 3, a satisfactory proximity combination is shown with twoof the proximity switch devices 30-'-36 approximately flanking the magnetic activator unit Iii- 21; it being noted that the centers of the switch plungers 30 are not located on a straight line through the centerof the magnetic plunger element 23, and it being further pointed out-in view of Fig. 1 that the centers for the proximity switches are locatedatthe higher levels of the inclined board IO-tOWardthe upper end or score cabinet IDA. Thus, a ball having very little momentum and barely making its way gravitationally down the board with a light glancing blow on one of the switch wafers 32- would trigger a proximity action giving new play action and speed to the ball.

In the circuit of Fig. suitable electric power is connected to terminals 40' for conductors 4!, which in turn connect through two sets of proximity switch contacts 35- 36, in parallel and normally open, and solenoid'winding terminals 42, 43 to the energizing winding 21 for'the magnetic activator unit. 7

Thus, closure of either pair of proximity switch blades 35=-36 will connect power to winding 2| with the described results.

Should the ball be attracted onto, or otherwise engage, the score control switch button 24, scoreswitch contacts Hi -21 would be closed to actuate some desired form of-score'unit, so-designated in Fig. 5,- and of which several varieties are knownin the art. a

The ball action effected by the present device results in part fromthe fact that the-current which excites the electromagnetic winding is turned on only when the ball is in a certain predetermined proximity to the effective magnetic field of the device. This kind-of action is distinguished from the action resulting from use of permanent magnets or electromagnets that are energized continually, which tend to hold the ball and produce sluggish actions.- Such permanent magnet and continuallyenergized electromagnet arrangements are also objectionable where the ball has either too little or too great momentum; in the latterinstance, the field will have little or no effect in deflecting the fast-moving ball; and in the former instance, the ball will be held and arrested or so sluggishly deflected as to create no interest or replaya'ctionor reprojection.

The placement of the proximity switches is mainly empirical depending upon the strength of magnetic field utilized, the space available, the placement of cooperating rebound elements, and the degree of activation desired. Thus, one game may be made quite different from another.

Of distinguishing importance is the fact that the magnetic means is turned off or de-energized until the ball gets within the predetermined necessary range of the magnetic field.

The proximity range is such that while the ball is still on and operating the switch, the magnetic field is propagated and can affect the ball at this time; and, in fact, it becomes apparent that the maximum deflecting or attracting action of this momentary magnetic field must have had its full effect by the time the ball leaves the switch and the circuit is opened.

To do a practical job, the electromagnetic solenoids must have a maximum field strength for their limited size and power rating; and under such conditions, a constantly energized coil would overheat and cause trouble, in addition to producing a different kind of ball reaction as heretofore stated.

Thus, the normally open switch and magnetic activator have a special proximity relation to produce the basic and characteristic ball reaction, i. e. defiective influence on the ball while it-is still on the switch, and also a range of empirical proximity arrangements, in conjunction with bumpers andrebound-dev-ices (or other activators) to give variety combinations of ball action;

A plurality of the magnetic activator-andswitchunits may be arranged in various positions on the play field, and the proximity switches may be arranged in additional patterns of number and proximity to the activator pole face, and proximately situated rebound elements such as bands It or the likemay be skillfully arranged about the units forvariety in ball action, along with other modifications in the specific illustrative embodiment hereinabove described in great detail by way of example but not necessarily limitation, and all such changes and modifications are contemplated- Within the scope of the statutory designation of the claimed invention and features of novelty. claimed as follows:

I claim:

1. In aball rolling game-of the type including an inclined playing surface and means for launchinga magnetically-attractable ball thereon, ball-activating means comprising: an electromag-net having a pole positioned relative to said surface to attract a ball to a particular localethereon, a pair of switch actuator elements on said surfaceto be engaged by a ball and spaced relative. to said pole iii-triangulararray therewith. and in proximity thereto so that a said ball closely adjacent thereto would be attractedto saidlocale by the field-of said pole when said electromagnet is energized, and switch means actuated by each saidactuator when the latter is ball-engaged, said switch means being connected in an energizing circuit for said electromagnet for energization of the latter responsive to ball-actuation of either said actuator, and rebound meanson said surface and comprisinga't least two elongated resilient rebound memberspositioned on said surface at a level of incline atleast in part below the position of said-pole and actuating elements,v thelong ax-is of each of said rebound members being disposed in a relatively angular and-convergent sense 1 sov that the lowerends of said. members are closer-together than the upper ends thereof, and said pole and actuator elements being positioned adjacent the wider spaced ends of said rebound members withinthe angle included between said rebound members.

2. In game apparatus having an inclined ballrolling surface upon which a magnetically-attractable ball is to be launched, ball-activating means comprising: a pair of normally open switches beneath said surface, a ball-operated actuator for each said switch, said actuators being disposed in spaced relation in a direction transversely of the inclination of said surface, an electromagnet having a pole situated to propagate a ball-attracting field in and above said surface at a locale below said actuators with reference to the inclination of said board and approximately I equidistant therefrom, and in such proximity thereto as to attract a said ball to said locale from a position at either said actuator, said switches being connected in parallel 3. Ball activating means according to claim 2 and further characterized in that the said game apparatus includes an electrically operated score register, a score switch connected to actuate said register, and a ball-operated score switch actuator situated in said locale on said surface for actuation by a ball attracted thereto as set forth.

WALTER VON STOESER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,184,867 Williams et al Dec. 26, 1939 2,258,329 MacDougall et al. Oct. 7, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 844,547 France Apr. 24, 1939 

